GERMAN MEETINGS: DUESSELDORF – Top-class athletics festival in front of capacity crowd Kszczot completed the dozen

Duesseldorf, February 1, 2017. The Athletics Hall at Arena Sportpark in Duesseldorf was once again sold out with 2,000 spectators, and more than 130 athletes from 36 nations turned the event into a top-class athletics festival with one meeting record and six world lead performances. 

“Today’s PSD Bank Meeting was a grand opener of the Duesseldorf super sport year of 2017, hosting the World Table-Tennis Championships, the European Triathlon Championships and the Grand Départ of the Tour de France. The athletics fans of the sports city of Duesseldorf created a fantastic atmosphere at the once again sold-out Athletics Hall and cheered the athletes on to top performances. The atmosphere and the high sporting level have been distinguishing the meeting for twelve years – and the PSD Bank Meeting is now deservedly part of the IAAF World Indoor Tour”, said Duesseldorf’s Lord Mayor Thomas Geisel.

Poland’s 800m ace Adam Kszczot completed the dozen: The world silver medallist clocked a new world lead with 1.46,17 minutes celebrating his sixth win in a row in Duesseldorf. “I am always happy to be here in Duesseldorf. The spectators and the track are great; that’s why it’s always a good season’s opener for me.  Of course it’s a great feeling to have won for the sixth successive time”, the 27-year-old disclosed.  

She is the reigning European champion, world runner-up and fifth at the Olympics. But German Cindy Roleder was still missing a victory at the PSD Bank Meeting. Today the 27-year-old finally also triumphed in Duesseldorf when she won the 60m hurdles final after a photo finish in 7.95 seconds ahead of Belorussian Alina Talay (same time) and fellow German Pamela Dutkiewicz.    

Kenyan Elijah Manangoi clocked a world lead with 3.37,62min in the 1,500 metres. The 24-year-old repeated his 2016 victory in Duesseldorf. Spaniard Orlando Ortega also achieved a world lead in the final of the men’s 60m hurdles in 7.51sec, followed by Frenchman Dimitri Bascou (same time). Bascou’s compatriot Pascal Martinot-Lagarde had previously clocked a world lead in the heats with 7.53sec. Joanna Jozwik added the sixth world lead of the meeting in the women’s 800 metres with 2.00,91min.

US American Olympic silver medallist and five-metre vaulter Sandi Morris won the women’s pole- vault with 4.72m (meeting record). German Annika Roloff finished third. World champion Christina Schwanitz missed out on winning the women’s shot put by just four centimetres.

With 18.13m she was defeated into second place by Hungarian Anita Marton (18.17m). German Neele Eckhardt also finished runner-up in triple jump with 14.09m.

Results: www.psd-bank-meeting.de.

Harald Gehring